Garbage can



May 30, 1 w. s. GRIFFIN. JR., AL v2,169,433

GARBAGE CAN Filed May 18, 1938 IIIIIHIII IIIIIII! (Ilia/m fl. Harry: 1). 1!. whim-7;:

Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES GARBAGE CAN Walter S. Griffin, Jr.,-William A. Harris, and Daniel H. Wallace, Jr., Greenville, S. C.

Application May 18, 1938, Serial No. 208,660

1 Claim.

This invention relates to garbage cans.

An object of the invention is the provision of a container having a removable top which is adapted to be held in closed position while the container is retained in a predetermined position to prevent animals from overturning the garbage can and spilling the contents thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a garbage can having a removable top which is connected to a 'swingable arm mounted on a post which has a definite fixed position relative to a fixed position of the can, said post and arm having cooperating means for preventing shifting of the top or closure when said closure is in an operative position on the can.

A further' object of the invention is the provision of a garbage can having a removable top, a rod fixed in position relative to a fixed position of the can with an arm rotatably mounted on the rod and having means to maintain the arm in a horizontal position, said rod having a disc fixed in position adjacent the arm and. provided with a notch to receive a pin projecting from the arm to prevent rotation of the arm and shifting of the top or closure of the can when said closure is in an operative position on the can.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawing forming a part of the specification; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the closure, being susceptible of such changes and modifications as define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a view in elevation of a garbage can and closure means for retaining the top against movement,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the top in open position,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the garbage can showing the closure in an open position,

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken along the lien 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical view partly in section of a swinging arm and its connection 50 with a fixed rod,

Figure 6 is a view in perspective of a flange sleeve for aiding in retaining the arm against oscillation when the closure is in an operative position on a can,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side view in elevation of a modified form of the garbage can and closureretaining means,

Figure 8 is ahorizontal section taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7, V

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. '7, and

Figure 10 is a horizontal section taken along the line Ill-I0 of Fig. 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, I0 designates a base member which may be formed of wood or any other suitable material and this base member is held in a fixed position on the ground or other support by means of pins I l which are carried by the base member I 0 and project upon opposite sides of the base member. The lower pointed end of the pin is forced into the ground while the upper end of each pin is received. by a flange l2 at the bottom of a container or garbage can l3.

The container l3 has its upper end upon and is adapted to receive a'flange M of a top or closure IS. The closure is usually provided with a hand grip 16 of U-shaped formation having the ends thereof riveted or bolted, as shown at I'Lto the closure [5.

A post 20 has a flattened sharp end 2| which is adapted. to be driven into the ground and through an opening 2m formed in one end of the base member ID and this post has a definite position relative to the pins II for a purpose which will be presently explained. The post extends upwardly and projects above the closure l5.

An arm 22 is formed of a single strand of wire which is twisted intermediate its ends to form eyes 23 and 2E. The strands are spaced from each other, as shown at 25, to provide an opening which is in alignment with the eye 24 to receive the post 20 at spaced points. Beyond the portion 25'the arm is bent downwardly, as shown at 26, and at right angles to the body of the arm and a right angular portion 21 extends inwardly from the portion 26 and terminates in the eye 24. While the arm 22 and the members 26 and 2! are formed by twisted wire, it will be appreciated that this arm may be equally well formed from a piece of fiat metal having passageways to receive the post 20 and bolts 28.

The post or rod 20 receives a sleeve 30 which has a set screw 3| to secure the sleeve on the rod or post at a predetermined height from the ground or base member l0. This sleeve is provided with a flange or disc 32 which has a notch 33 to receive a pin 34 carried by the arm 22 and projecting downwardly in parallel relation to the rod 20.

The bolts 28 are provided with heads 35 which rest upon the top of the eye 23 for clamping said eye to the hand grip I6 when nuts 36 draw a plate 3! up tight against the underface of the hand grips I 6. Bolts 38 in connection with the plate 21 and the nuts 35 clamp the eye 23 onto the hand grip I6.

The operation of my device is as follows: The base member In is maintained in a fixed position by the two pins II which are forced into the ground or any other suitable support with the upper ends of the pins engaging the inner periphery of the flange I2 on the base of the container or can III. The post 2|] is then driven into the ground through an opening 2 la in the base mem ber II). Due to the fact that the opening 2 la. has a definite position relative to the pins I I the container I3 will be properly positioned on the base member so that the top I5 may be directly located over the container and moved into closed position when desired.

The arm 22 is swingable in a horizontal plane because of the bearings 24 and 25 of the arm which are received by the post or rod 20. When the top is in place on the container the pin 34 will move into the notch 33 and retain the arm 22 against oscillation in a horizontal plane.

When it is desired to remove the contents of the container I3 it is only necessary to raise the arm 22 and likewise the cover or closure I5 and the free end of the pin 34 will clear the notch 33 so that when the arm is swung in a horizontal plane the pin 34 will ride on the disc 32 and maintain the cover I5 out of contact with the upper end of the container I3. When the cover is moved to the position shown in Fig. 3, the container I3 may be raised and its contents emptied and again replaced. By the proper rotation of the arm 22 the pin 34 will again be aligned with the notch 33 so that the-arm 22 and likewise the top I5 may be lowered until the top is in an operative closing position with the container I3.

While a sleeve 30 is shown acting as a sliding bearing for the disc 32 the sleeve may be dispensed with and the set screw may be threaded into an opening in the disc for securing said disc to the rod or post 20.

By this construction it will be seen that the post 20 operates to retain the cover I5 in position and the post and arm in cooperation with the pins II aid in maintaining the container against being overturned by animals in attempting to get at the contents.

In the modified forms shown in Figs. '7 to 10, inclusive, it will be seen that an arm 40 is employed which has a U-shaped member M at one end While the other end 42 is clamped, at 43, to the hand grip 49.

A post 45 is T-shaped in cross section and is adapted to be driven in the ground in the same manner as the post 20 is, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper end of the post is provided with a notch 46 adjacent the arm 40 and this notch is out along one edge of a flange 45a of the T-shaped post 45.

The arm 40, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, is pro vided with a keyhole slot having a circular portion 41 and an elongated slot 48 opening into the circular slot or opening 41 and these cooperating slots or openings receive the T-shaped post 45 so that at times the flange 45a will be received by the elongated opening 48, as shown in Fig. 9.

The short arm 50 of the U-shaped member 4| is provided with a circular slot 5| which has a slightly greater diameter than the width of the post 45 so that the arm 50 may be revolved on the post.

The operation of the device, shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, is as follows: The top I5 is shown in closed position on the can I3. At this time the arm 40 is sufliciently lowered that the flange 45a of the post 45 is received by the slot 48 in the arm 40 whereby the arm 40 cannot be rocked to dislodge the top from the can.

When it is desired to release the top and move it to a position away from the can I3, the top I5 is raised as is the arm 40 and likewise the short arm 50 until the slot or opening 48 reaches the cut-out portion 46. In view of the fact that the flange 45a at this point is reduced so that the flange will be confined entirely within the circular portion 41, the arm 40 may be revolved for displacing the top I5 sufliciently from the can I3 that the can may be removed. The circular opening 5| in the arm 50, as has been stated, is of such a size that the arm 50 may be revolved around the post 45.

We claim:

In a garbage can having a removable closure, means retaining the closure in position and comprising a post, an arm having the outer free end thereof pivotally connected to the top of the closure, the other end of the arm having a downwardly bent portion parallel to the post and an inwardly bent portion, said arm and inwardly bent portion having bearings slidably received by the post so that the arm and closure may be revolved around said post, an adjustably mounted disk on the post having an opening at the periphery thereof, a pin projecting downwardly from the arm and adapted to be received by the opening when the closure is in an operative position on the can, said pin when resting on the disk supporting the closure in open position above the can.

WALTER S. GRIFFIN, JR. WILLIAM A. HARRIS. DANIEL H. WALLACE, JR.

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